Gift of Generosity
by F.A.Jackson
Summary: Several months have passed since the events in Sweet and Elite. On four separate occasions, FancyPants and Rarity discuss how she views herself and the life she chose. An insight into Rarity's character and a one-shot tribute to Bronycurious. No shipping involved.


_Author's Note: The inspiration came from Bronycurious completely tearing apart Past Tense. I'd also like to thank TheoryBrony because I love his videos. I wrote this in about 4 hours time today without going through it, so I'm sure there's going to be errors. If you're going to hate on my story, the least you can do is tell me all the grammatical issues in it. I may have written this story line but it fits the current timeline very well. It's not even a story so much as my own head cannon. All links are on the bottom of the page. _

* * *

**March 3**

Rarity was sitting at her desk, working on her newest hat creation. It was a beautiful little headpiece, and perfectly suited for the dress she had prepared for the Grand Galloping Gala in less than 3 months' time. The diamonds surrounding the hat itself shone in the evening sun. It made her entire workroom glow brilliantly. Despite that, she couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.

Her clothes were beautiful, her shop was beautiful; everything that her hoof touched was beautiful. But no matter what she did, no one else could see that. Her friends could never truly see the beauty in the things she made. Rarity put her incomplete hat with the rest of her ensemble for the Gala and proceeded to the lower levels of her shop.

Her store was lined with the best dresses, worn by even the most elite class of Canterlot. She wouldn't be able to see the appreciation of her work with her own eyes, however. Canterlot was miles away, and the ponies of Ponyville weren't one for fancy clothes. The ponies in town would never understand why she spent all her time stitching until her hooves bled.

The bell to the boutique rang and Rarity turned to her customer with her usual greeting, "Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where every garment is chic, unique, and magnifique."

"Hello my dear."

Rarity's expression brightened a little at her guest, "Ah, this was an unexpected surprise. It's nice to see you again. Is this a professional visit or a personal one?"

The older gentlecolt smiled as he answered, "A bit of both. Fleur has requested that I find her a dress for the Gala. She is a rather difficult pony to say no to. The ones I've procured for her from Canterlot were not to her liking so I've come here instead."

Rarity's eyes furrowed a bit. She did not know he was one to run errands for Fleur, regardless of how in love they might be. She shoved the thought from their minds and began wondering what kind of dress would be most suitable for Fleur. "Understandable. What would the personal business be?"

The colt's eyes saddened by just a margin, "Visiting an old friend. To be honest, I thought you'd be happier to see me."

Rarity stopped thinking for a moment and her furrowed brow lifted. The remark had surprised had but she focused all her attention on him now, "Oh, I am happy to see you. Why would I not be?"

"Forgive me for assuming the worst then. You just seem troubled." Rarity didn't answer the accusation. Perhaps she was troubled without knowing it. She was not sure what exactly it was that she had felt. It was a hollow feeling, something that asked for nothing in particular but everything intangible.

After several moments of steady silence Rarity chose to change the subject instead, "Would you like me to find something for her or would you prefer to look through the options yourself?"

"I shall pick several I like and perhaps you can choose your own ideal piece for her. Surely, she will enjoy your tastes more than mine."

Rarity excused herself for a moment as she scoured the racks for something suitable for the model-pony. She decided that a dark dress more suited for Halloween than for the Gala would throw off the old colt. She picked several more that had been simple yet creative in their own right and brought them back to the lower levels with her magic.

Her guest had chosen several outfits and was waiting patiently for her return on her couch, "Can you wrap them all up for me? The trip back to Canterlot would be much too stressful on the gowns otherwise."

"Don't you want to see the choices I made?" She inquired curiously, surprised by his rush.

"I trust your judgment, my dear. You've made all the right choices so far."

His words cut her like a knife. Rarity had made many choices that resulted in the life that she now lived. Could she honestly look back on them and believe that they were all right? She was not AppleJack. She could lie to herself and never know it. She could easily bypass the tangible truth and move on to what she hoped was true and easily live with herself. That was beginning to change for her rapidly however.

Her friend's tender voice cut itself into her thoughts, "Are you completely sure you're alright?"

Rarity nodded and agreed with his assumption about her dresses. She packaged up a total of 26 dresses for her old friend. "You don't have to pay me. As long as Fleur does my dresses justice, that will be all the reward I need." She paused when she realized how strange those words sounded coming from her mouth. She quickly changed her tone to something more upbeat and suitable for his status, "The other citizens of Canterlot will look upon her graceful figure and know that I was the one who contributed to that marvel."

He laughed merrily at her words, "Don't be silly. You're an entrepreneur. That's no way to act. It's only logical that you take my money for such a large purchase." He moved a large suitcase full of bits onto her countertop. Rarity did not bother counting them as she moved to put it into her vault. It would be uncouth to argue with him over something such as money.

When she returned, she was surprised to find him still present. Her hoofsteps alerted him to her presence as she entered the room. "Now that business has been completed, shall we talk honestly Rarity?"

She invited him into her kitchen as she prepared some tea for them to sit and chat. Despite her urge to simply run and hide, her own vanity and pride would never allow for it. "I've never been very honest with you. I see no reason why you believe that has changed now."

Rarity's word didn't completely surprise him. They were true. She had never been truly honest with him, but he had never minded. All the ponies around him were fake and never showed their true selves. The fact that she hadn't either didn't bother him at all, but the fact that she admitted it now, did.

Sensing his surprise, she didn't hesitate to continue, "I never completely believed I had you fooled. You've met Rainbow Dash and knew she was not who I said she was. Despite all that, you never announced to the general public that I was a fraud."

"That is because you aren't one, my dear." He smiled at her surprised reaction and continued almost sadly, "The fact that you lied does not change who you truly are. You are someone who has her own beliefs and thoughts. You hold faith in what you know. Your friend Rainbow Dash for example. If you did not trust her judgment, you would not have countered me when I believed that Rapid Fire would win. Connections and money do not make up who you are."

Rarity laughed but it was hollow. Those words meant little to nothing coming from this colt. Connections and money were exactly the things that made him his namesake. She didn't say it out loud but her laughter alerted him to her thoughts.

He did not seem angered by her laughter. He was certainly entertained, but also mildly intrigued, "Yes. Those words might be very paradoxical coming from me, no?" He paused for a moment as he collected his thoughts. "The things you believe and do, those are the things that truly weave together a person. You have a true stance and your own thoughts. Many of the Canterlot Elite lack this."

Rarity was left speechless. This was not what she had expected from him. He was at the very center of the Canterlot Elite. What did these words mean specifically for either of them? She wasn't sure. "What are you trying to say?"

"That perhaps you're looking for the things you desire in all the wrong places. Perhaps it's time to take a step back and come to terms with what exactly you want." He levitated a bit out of his pocket and flipped it into the air where it was stuck on the ceiling. "Every pony had two sides. Simply because one side eclipses the other does not mean the other side doesn't exist or is insignificant." He moved from his seat and carried his purchases away from the shop. "I'll see you at the Grand Galloping Gala, my dear."

* * *

**March 16**

_Love is in bloom_

_A beautiful bride, a handsome groom,_

_Two hearts becoming one_

_A bond that cannot be undone because_

_Love is in bloom_

_"_The wedding dress you designed for the princess was wonderful."

Rarity turned around in surprise, "You startled me."

Rarity's bad mood seemed to have disappeared for the moment, at least in the eyes of her familiar companion. "I said I'd see you at the Gala, but this is just as good. Weddings are always pleasant affairs."

"Yes, I think so as well. And thank you for the compliment. Only the best of gowns is suitable for a princess." She answered as the pair danced to her friends' song. Vinyl and Twilight were doing a terrific job.

"Perhaps, but every bride desires the best dress. Only the best seamstress can provide that, my dear."

"You're much too kind." Rarity blushed, and even though she said those words, she didn't genuinely feel it. To see someone appreciate her dress was wonderful. To design a dress for Princess Cadance had been a dream come true.

"Is this what you always wanted?" He asked, his tone was curious, but there seemed to be something more to his question.

"Recognition and accomplishment. It would seem so." Rarity seemed to be talking to herself more than she was talking to him. She had strived to achieve those things for a very long time, and both of those things had been presented to her now that every pony in Equestria knew she was the one who had designed the dress for Princess Cadence.

"Well? Then why is your tone so uncertain?" He questioned. It was somewhat out of character for him as that was the first time he had been so assertive. This colt had always been very laid-back. He wanted for nothing, and he was simple in his own way.

"I simply feel that something is missing. People recognize the work I do, but they don't entirely understand. A dress is only beautiful if someone with authority thinks of it as beautiful. This order may have made me famous, but it has not made me understood."

The older gentlecolt appeared thoughtful as he digested her words. "Do you perhaps feel lonely? In your novelty." Rarity did not answer him, and he decided to continue presenting her with thought provoking questions, "Have you perhaps thought about changing your position? The Ponyville ponies are not interested in formal attire. The ponies of Canterlot see it as nothing more than a stance and proof of their worth. How exactly do you see it?"

Rarity had been silent for a long time. She had the answers but she did not feel the greatest desire to share them with her companion. She saw her clothes as an extension of herself. The dress she had worn tonight had been her as much as the mane on top of her head.

The pair watched as other attendees of the wedding proceeded onto the dance floor with their partners. Featherweight was taking pictures. As the dancing couples surrounded them, the pair of unicorns simply enjoyed their own silent ambiance.

* * *

**April 21**

Twilight waved to the crowd from the air as pedestrians sang all around her. Pink Pie was at the center of it all with her ten instruments. 

"Congratulations. I see your friend has become a princess. Twilight Sparkle, was it not?" Rarity was not surprised to hear his voice this time. This colt seemed to be present at every important event in Canterlot. Twilight's coronation was no different. "Are you jealous?"

Rarity's eyes grew wide with surprise, "Jealous? Why would I be jealous?"

He laughed slightly at her genuine reaction, "Come now my dear. You love any attention that is given to you. Now, your best friend, who is also an unicorn is clearly superior to you. Any pony in your position would be jealous."

"Yes, I suppose you're right. I do love being the center of attention, don't I? But Twilight is one of my best friends. She has earned this moment, and I am generous enough to share the spotlight with my best friends."

He shook his head at her words. It's not that he didn't believe her. It was more that he believed she was simply deluding herself. "You don't honestly believe that do you?"

Rarity's surprise could not escalate any further, "Of course, I do. Twilight is one of my best friends."

Her companion's incredulous expression was extremely out of character for him, but her reaction had ripped it from him. She had completely deluded herself and didn't even realize it. He stormed away from her, leaving her to feel as lost and confused as she could ever be.

* * *

**May 6**

Rarity's gown for the Gala was lovely. It was exquisite. It was a dark purple that drew the attention of many patrons as she walked down the long carpet into Canterlot castle. Her finished headpiece captured the attention of all the patrons that walked along her path. She was shining as much as the four princesses themselves.

Many of the Canterlot Elite had called to her that evening, begging for her attention and patronage at future events. She turned them all down as she knew that she wouldn't have time for them. Her life was in Ponyville. As she was excusing herself from Jet Set and Upper Crust's attention, she runs into the pony she had been looking for.

"Where have you been? I've been looking for you all night?" Her tone was obviously agitated. Despite his standing, she did not care for it tonight.

"I did not particularly want to spend time with someone as simple as the rest of the Canterlot Elite. Even if they are all frauds, they are, at the very least, honest with themselves."

"What are you talking about?!" The smallest amount of rage was building inside her. Was she destined to run off in an angry mess every time she had come to the Gala? "How can you compare me to them? I made my choice and am proud of where I'm from."

"Are you really? I showed all of your dresses to Fleur. I had originally chosen 25. Your choice for her was mixed in with two others that you did not care for at all. Despite your choice, you're afraid of how others will view it. You're afraid that your choice is wrong." He was right of course, and he knew it. Her silence only confirmed that. "Fleur is wearing your dress here tonight. She loved the one you picked for her."

Rarity remained speechless. He took that as his chance to continue, "You are green with envy at the fact that one of your best friends is an alicorn, yet you refuse to admit it. You refuse even to show it or acknowledge it. How dare you come here questioning my beliefs when your own is a tangled mess."

Rarity's silence was beginning to bother even her, but there was no way for her to defend herself. The rest of the party guests were watching them now. He paid them no mind. "You refuse to see it because you believe you can lie to yourself. You've lied to your friends and everyone else. You've done a beautiful job. Such a beautiful job in fact that you can't even acknowledge the truth now."

"Stop it…Stop it!" Rarity screeched these words and the rest of the denizens in the ballroom could be heard whispering about them behind their glasses. Rarity ran away from the scene in shame. She didn't want this. She didn't want to be in the center of attention for something as disgusting as that display.

Rarity could not remember the last time she cried. She had come incredibly close when her sister had cut off their relationship and ran away during the Sisterhooves Social. She collapsed against a tree in the Canterlot Gardens and willed the tears not to come. She may have been dramatic, but she was not one for true tears. What was she doing with herself? She did not sob.

"You are incredibly generous with many things, but your tears are not one of them." He had followed her into the gardens and was now humiliating her even further.

Rarity's voice became incredibly high-pitched and desperate, "What more do you want from me? You've shamed me in front of the entire court. Do you really want me to admit that I feel foolish and stupid?"

He looked saddened by her cries, but he was not willing to back down just yet. "I want to understand. Why have you done this to yourself? You were so close to becoming one of us. You could have left Ponyville and come to Canterlot. You had built up a glorious reputation and you were full of life and passion. I always thought that you left Canterlot because you did not like the society but when I saw you in the shop, I knew I was wrong. What happened to all your passion? What's happened to you?"

"Ponyville is my home. Those people are some of my best friends. They are more important to me than anything. Money, status, recognition…"

"Your dreams." He added. She laughed a bit sadly but she continued. "My friends care for me too, and I think they would understand if I left Ponyville to pursue my dreams in Canterlot but I can't thrive there. The Elite do not see a modest pony from Ponyville. They see a fraud with the backing of Fancy Pants. Because of you, I would have status."

He cocked his head to the side, "And that's not what you want?"

"Don't you see? They don't like my clothes. They don't even like me! They only pretend they do to agree with you. In Ponyville, at the very least, they do appreciate me. Even if they can't see the sacrifices I make for them, at least they know that I could have had something better. Even if they don't completely understand, they appreciate it." Her smile was sad, almost heartbreaking. "At the very least, Spike calls me beautiful."

"Rarity…" FancyPants wanted to help her somehow, but there was nothing he could do entirely. A very long time ago he had heard somewhere that listening to someone's burden could help them, but he wasn't completely sure he believed that. It was possible, but Rarity seemed ever unhappier as the night wore on, "And the alicorn?"

Rarity looked to the moon, and her voice seemed to carry some hidden wish to the stars, "Twilight has done many things for me. She has taught me some of the most important lessons I can ever learn in life. If she had not done those things when I first met you, it's possible that I would've rejected ever going back to Ponyville. But now, she has acquired the life I've turned down. She has reached a place in Canterlot I can never touch. Compared to her, I'm as invisible as the stars during the day."

She returned her gaze to him, and whatever wish that went unspoken seemed to have been delivered. Her gaze was steady, and the war that she fought with herself seemed to be coming to a close. "I can't show her how much her life now will affect me. That would only rack her with guilt and discomfort. I couldn't do that to her. I must act as if nothing's changed. That is my choice as a pony and my duty as her friend."

FancyPants nodded. He did not completely agree with the white mare standing before him, but he understood why she must act the way she did. It didn't matter anyway. She needed his understanding more than his agreement. He searched the nearest fields and picked a lily from it, "I believe at the last Gala, Blueblood ate your rose. This isn't a replacement or a consolation but I hope you'll take it nonetheless."

She smiled and used her magic to levitate the lily into her hair in the centre of her crown. Her headpiece almost completely eclipsed it from view. FancyPants looked at her with a knowing smile on his face. "Others may notice that hat of yours, but I believe that lily stands out more."

* * *

_A/N: To see more MLP content: BronyCurious (Does Analysis)_

_TheoryBrony (Does Headcannons and Comssions)_

_ and PhillyPhU (Great Music)_

_Thanks for reading, and Rarity is best pony!_


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